Sunday-Chix drumsticks,rice,corn, strawberries or applesauce

Monday
Breakfast-bisquits and jelly
Dinner-slow cooker chix and stuffing, fruit , green beans, corn muffins

Tuesday
Breakfast-hash browns
Dinner-kids eat with dad, no cooking

Weds
Breakfast-waffles, sausage
Dinner- Rigatoni, meatballs, texas toast, sliced apples or salad

Thurs
Breakfast- Bagels or cereal
Dinner- small Pork loin, mashed pot and gravy, freezer bread, corn or beans.

Friday
Breakfast-whatever
Dinner-soup, grilled cheese sandwiches and pizza crescents

Saturday--re-shop!

Well we had our last dance weekend and it was fun. Nice time! It ended up being frugal beyond my expectations! Saturday-we ate lunch at the place where we performed.....$16 for two. Which is not bad at all for catered on site food service. We had huge salads, waters, a huge fresh fruit cup and a huge cream cheese brownie. My daughter ate her fill. Free program to track dances. Usually these cost around $10 at most events we go to.
Saturday night we ate out for dinner and the wonderful diner we ate it had HUGE protions. So lunch was "free" so to speak as we took home about four boxes of leftovers to recycle for lunches and snacks. I also parked for free as the parking lot had no attendant. I also got free coffee at the hotel because the hotel manager was kinda being nice to us! So I really squeaked by on not much cash outlay.

I grocery shopped on Sunday morning and got that done. So my menu is planned for the week including breakfasts.

My financial planner sent me a confirmation he received my check to invest into my account. So that is handled and taken care of......the money is gone and I can not touch it easily. I feel so good about that. Major accomplishment.

Today I have a physical. My "big" news is I landed a part time job at a beautiful high end local assisted living place near me. I already measured and it is exactly 1.3 miles from my driveway to work! I could walk or ride my bike if I wanted to!!I have had the drug test and now I have to have a physical. It will take a few days to complete the paperwork. I am working in the laundry area...and doing light housekeeping for residents. It is not stressful and the part time hours work with my life. I am nervous and excited to earn a paycheck on my own. For me it is a huge deal and undertaking emotionally. I have not worked for pay since 1989. So a new challenge for me. If it works out great! if not I guess I can give my two weeks notice. I have to now tell my kids. My oldest daughter knows and she was not too happy. No one likes change so I understand her feelings. I work three days 9-2pm and every other Saturday morning. So far I think it should work and again if not....I can always reconsider. My therapist thinks the timing is right and that it may help me to get involved in something beyond my home and four walls. I also have just enjoyed getting to meet new people. It is all good therapy for me. Plus this job is a job involving moving and walking......that is great for weight loss.

The weather is so nice.....a strong breeze is occuring right now. It was very peaceful outside and now some neighbor is using a blower and the whole area is filled with noise! It really irritates me all the yard equipment noise it seems constant! One pet peeve I have around here. I have my clothesline up and running with two loads of laundry whipping in the breeze. They will be done drying in no time. If you don't use a line...get into the habit. It is so wonderfully simple. Last night we went for a walk. I found a wonderful old farm tin bucket with a dent and a tiny bit of old rust in the neighbor's garbage. I brought it home and put an assortment of left over silk flowers in it. It now graces my porch and looks like it is from Country Living Magazine. One man's trash becomes a cute front porch treasure. My porch swing is back to swinging along with the front yard hammock which rarely hangs quietly when school is over for the day. Spring is full of changes!! It is very nice and so welcoming. Change is refreshing. I am looking forward to the many changes and new directions life is taking me.

Have a good day everyone.

What a terrible event that has happened at VA TECH. My sister teaches in the engineering department at VA TECH. Thankfully she was not on campus on Monday. Our hearts go out to the whole college and town. It sure makes one pause and reflect how fleeting life is.

Not too much to report. I was able to mail off a large chunk of savings to my financial advisor on Monday. That was a relief to do that. Less temptation on my part. I also am re-newing my health insurance. The paperwork seems complicated and yet very vague. I am simply renewing. I am asking for a reduced rate since I had the gastric bypass. I know the rate went up a few months ago across the board.

I had to weigh myself for the paperwork. I have lost 75.5 pounds. I am very happy with my progress. My hair continues to a be a problem for me. It is falling out like I am having chemo. I have been eating as much protein as I can and I am supplementing myself with medication. It is nothing new and many weight loss patients go thru this transition. Overall,I am feeling so good. It is wonderful and I am so glad I did have the surgery, despite the hair loss.

Just trying to balance things as far as my money goes. It seems to be another tight month. I think alot of bills have hit me like renewals and such. It is just not too fun. I have two more travel weekends for my daughter. Once the travel season is over I should be doing better. This weekend is local so no hotel...in two weeks we have an overnighter out of town. So we will just do our best.

Next big purchases will be summer clothing. We did some over Easter break but need to buy some shorts and tees and then bathing suits. My middle daughter needs tennis shoes. My budget for my own clothes is on hold. Nothing I need to buy.

Have a good evening

"No person is so poor that he cannot give a compliment"

"Don't ask for an easier life, ask to be a stronger person"

"If you can't have the best of everything, make the best of everything you have"

Hope everyone had a lovely Easter. I visited my family and we stayed overnight and drove back on Monday morning. We had a nice visit. My son stayed with his dad. It all worked out very well. It was last minute as I was not planning on going and staying overnight,but my sister was visiting from 5 1/2 hours away. I do not get to see her and her boys too often, so the trip was really a good way to connect.

I had an interesting appointment today. One that in the future I will share but not right now. You'll have to come back and visit my blog to find out.

My kids are home from school all week and then they go to dad's on Friday evening for the weekend. I will miss them! I have had them for so long....I enjoy my time but pine away for them as soon as they leave.

Nothing too new in the finance department. I have had a ton of bills. Things that are re-newals and what evers. So I am trying to balance it all out. I will probably have an expensive week as I am eating out two times with girlfriends and twice with my kids. I keep teling myself it is cheaper than a trip to Flordia! Not to worry. Soon I will have to begin the process of purchasing spring and summer type clothing for my kids. Not my favorite thing to do.....going clothing shopping. I tend to grin and bear it alot. They like it of course.

Have a good evening everyone.